Reviewed by Amber
TITLE: Fireman’s Carry
SERIES: Carry Me #1
AUTHOR: Charlie Richards
PUBLISHER: eXtasy Books
LENGTH: 127 pages
BLURB:
Keeping an open mind can lead to a full heart.
Carl Lewis has little joy in his life. He’s recently struggled through a painful divorce, has partial custody of his two kids, and is learning to rearrange his schedule so work as a detective is no longer first. It’s not easy. Then he meets his new neighbor, Vincent Androse, an openly gay firefighter who just went through a bad break-up of his own. He gives the man a hand moving furniture, and they strike up a friendship that starts to fill holes in Carl’s life he didn’t even know were there.
Vincent moves to get away from his cheating ex-boyfriend, Lonnie. His new house is big and empty, and he finds himself enjoying the Friday night BBQs with his new friend, Carl, even with the man’s kids there. When Lonnie shows up, begging for him to come back, again, and refuses to leave, Carl steps in, pretending to be the new boyfriend. Vincent discovers Carl can kiss—really kiss, and he starts wanting things the straight cop can’t give him. Can he?
REVIEW:
You know, I didn’t love or hate this story; it was just ok and sort of blah. It was fairly short and very little angst even though there was a Gay for You element, a psychotic ex-boyfriend and a philandering homophobic ex-wife. Everything was a little too perfect. The friendship came too easy. The attraction was too easy even though the character was married to a woman for 16 years. Everything was embraced too easy. It was like all these puzzle pieces were scrambled up, laid out, and magically came together perfectly. It wasn’t satisfying and it kind of made it seem unbelievable.
Vincent Androse is a fireman recently out of an 8 year relationship with a man that was cheating on him. He’s still hurt and hesitant about getting involved with anyone. After moving out and buying a new home he finds himself with a truck full of furniture with no one to help move it into his house. That’s when he notices his neighbor and asks him to help him move his furniture.
Carl Lewis is also recently out of a long term relationship. After hiring a PI to investigate his wife he learns she’s been involved with several men outside of their marriage. After a messy divorce which resulted in shared custody of their 2 children, Carl is still licking his wounds. So, he jumps at the opportunity to make a new friend in his neighbor, anything to distract him.
They end up BBQing together quite a bit and Vince gets a long really well with Carl’s kids. One night Carl comes home and notices Vince is arguing with someone at his front door. Realizing its Vince’s ex, Carl decides to go over and pretend to be the new boyfriend. In order to sell this idea, Carl kisses him. Naturally the kiss was explosive and sheds both men in a new light.
The seed already planted they both start looking at the other differently. Carl decides to embrace his new found attraction to his friend Vince. They start dating, and exploring each other sexually.
Miscommunication, fear, exes, homophobia, and violence and combine to make the start of their relationship difficult.
These men together are pretty hot but I liked Vince in the dominate roll better. We only get a glimpse of this but I think it would have made the story so much more if he were more dominating throughout.
Overall, like I said it wasn’t the worst just not the best either. I am curious about the other books. I’m still on the fence about checking them out though.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS: